Darkness.
That was all he remembered. The crushing weight of exhaustion, the mind-numbing routine, the soulless corporate life that had drained him until there was nothing left. He hadn't even realized he was dying when it happened. One moment, he was typing away at his desk; the next, everything faded into nothingness.
But instead of oblivion, he woke up to something unexpected—life.
The first thing he noticed was warmth. A blanket draped over his body, the scent of freshly cooked rice lingering in the air. He blinked, his vision clearing as he stared at a small, dimly lit room with peeling wallpaper and a creaky ceiling fan lazily spinning above him.
"What the…" he muttered, his voice softer, younger.
Then the memories hit him. Memories that weren't his, yet somehow belonged to him. The name 'Ishikawa Ren' surfaced in his mind, along with seventeen years of life he hadn't lived. A high school student, a poor but kind family, and… a condition that would kill him in two years.
His fingers clenched the thin blanket. The sheer absurdity of the situation almost made him laugh. Transmigration? A system? And an actual countdown on his life?
A soft chime rang in his head.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations, host, for activating the Idol System!]
[Your current lifespan: 2 years. Condition deterioration begins in 5 months.]
[Beginner Reward: High-Quality Viral Song + One-Time 60,000 Rupees Cash Set.]
Ren let out a breath. "So it's real."
No denial, no screaming at the heavens. He had lived one life already, a miserable one filled with nothing but work. He wasn't going to waste this one in pointless denial. Instead, a bitter chuckle escaped his lips.
"An idol system, huh? That's ironic."
His past life had no music, no joy, no dreams. And now he was expected to become a star? His lips curled in a wry smile. Well, at least it was better than sitting in an office waiting to die.
Just then, the door creaked open.
"Onii-chan, are you awake?"
A small girl peeked inside, her big, round eyes filled with concern. His heart clenched. This was his little sister—Airi. Eight years old, tiny, with her hair tied in two messy pigtails. She wasn't just sweet; she was his biggest fan, apparently.
"Yeah," he said, forcing a smile. "Morning, Airi."
Airi beamed and skipped inside, holding a small plate of onigiri. "Mama made extra today! I saved you one."
Ren took the rice ball from her tiny hands, feeling something unfamiliar spread through his chest—warmth. Family. Something he had never truly experienced in his past life.
Days passed, and Ren slowly adjusted to his new reality. School was school—boring, routine. He had no real friends aside from two meme-obsessed idiots who somehow clung to him. Kenta and Yuto, the self-proclaimed 'lords of degeneracy,' constantly filled their group chat with cursed memes and conspiracy theories about the idol industry.
Despite everything, Ren found himself laughing at their nonsense. It was weird, having people who actually cared.
But beneath the normalcy, the countdown loomed over him.
At night, he would lie awake, staring at the cracked ceiling, his mind spiraling with thoughts he couldn't escape. Five months. That was all he had before his body would start failing him. The idea of being trapped in a paralyzed body, unable to move, unable to sing—it terrified him.
And then, one night, it finally broke him.
Ren sat on the rooftop, staring at the endless city lights. His hands trembled as he clutched his phone. The weight of two years, of impending death, of a future stolen from him, crashed down all at once.
"I don't want to die like this…"
Tears burned at the edges of his eyes. He hadn't cried in years, not even in his past life. But now, knowing what awaited him, he couldn't hold it back.
And yet, after the storm of emotions passed, he found himself laughing. A dry, exhausted laugh.
Because what else could he do?
If this world was going to take everything from him, then he would take everything from it first.
He wasn't going to spend this life quietly fading away.
He was going to live.
With a deep breath, Ren pulled up the system menu and stared at the reward screen. A high-quality song designed to go viral. 60,000 rupees, enough to kickstart his journey.
His fingers hovered over the 'Accept Reward' button.
And then, with a sharp exhale, he pressed it.
[Ding!]
[Beginner Reward Activated!]
[A new song has been added to your inventory: 'Eclipse' - A hauntingly beautiful track that will shake the hearts of millions.]
[60,000 Rupees (One-Time Set) has been added to your account.]
Ren exhaled, a slow smirk forming on his lips.
If he had only two years, then he was going to make them unforgettable.
And he would start by shaking the world with his voice.